The consolidation would make the new institution the largest within the state’s system of public colleges and universities with almost 54,000 students. The move would also be notable for its joining of Georgia State, a four-year research institution with Georgia Perimeter, a two-year access institution.

The merger will be the sixth consolidation within the past two years of schools within the state’s system of public colleges and universities.

System Chancellor Hank Huckaby first suggested mergers in September 2011, a few months after he took over as chancellor, as part of a large-scale plan to deal with declining state revenues. The plan first went into effect early last year, when the state Board of Regents agreed to merge eight institutions into four new ones, which shrank the system from 35 to 31 colleges.

The Georgia State/Georgia Perimeter merger announcement comes as Georgia State looks to expand its footprint in downtown Atlanta with redevelopment of Turner Field and the surrounding area into a 30,000-seat sport stadium and mixed-use retail and residential development.